Extremophile Flashcards
1
Q
Extremeophile
A
- single celled Archaea or Bacteria
- extremes: temperature, pH, salinity, pressure, O2 levels
- Ex: tardigrade
2
Q
Thermophiles
A
- high temperatures
- eukaryotes <50 C
- prokaryotes <60 C
- use proteins and enzymes that are more stable at high temperatures
- higher proportions of G-C nucleobase - more stable at high temperatures
- changes cell membrane composition to reduce membrane fluidity and retain integrity
3
Q
Hyperthermophiles
A
80-115 C
- may be found in hot springs and ocean vents
- high temp difficult: denaturing of DNA/proteins
4
Q
Psychrophiles
A
- all major taxa inhabiting cold temperatures
- water is solvent of life, if intracellular water freezes - game over
5
Q
Hypersaline Environments
A
Osmoprotectant
- neutral charge
- low toxicity
- ex: amino acids
6
Q
Acidophiles
A
Chemotrophs
- some metabolic reactions are most efficient at low pH
(a) iron reduction and oxidation
7
Q
HIGH pH
A
Alkaliphile
8
Q
LOW pH
A
Acidophile
9
Q
HIGH Temp
A
Thermophile
10
Q
LOW Temp
A
Psychrophile
11
Q
HIGH Salinity
A
Halophile
12
Q
LOW WATER/Desiccation
A
xerophile
13
Q
Relevance of Extremophiles
A
define boundaries of life
- compare to ET extreme environments/conditions
